Technical Assistance required in setting up Dual Monitors

klondike_bar · Post by **klondike_bar** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:07 pm

I recently got a new PC monitor for my desktop, and have therefore recommisioned the old one for use on my university residence/laptop.

unfortunatly, my laptop resolution is 1680X1050 and the screen is 1024X768. Both sceens are about identical height (though at different levels above the table).

I have ultramon installed, and the second monitor is running nicely. however, windows/nvidia/ultramon all believe that the lower resolution means the monitor is literally smaller. this causes wierd off-sets in my wallpaper and cursor movements between screens.

anyone know how to "tell" windows (or anotther program) that the size is the same, even if resolution isnt?

klondike_bar · Post by **klondike_bar** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:47 pm

bump. anyone got some experience with this type of thing?

Post by **Elderberry** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 6:02 pm

I'm guessing that the answer is no. Setting up two or even more monitors is relatively intuitive with today's operating systems; and they are designed to work best when the monitors are identical. This not to say that they won't work, but as you have discovered, performance might not be optimal.

There isn't much on the search engines on tweaks for running two different monitors either, as I am sure you have already discovered. And I'm also pretty sure you've already experimented with various available combinations of resolutions to see which combo might be optimal while working together; so, at least this will give the thread a bump up for someone with more info.

JK

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:00 pm

Klondike, is your nVidia setiings for the other monitor set on clone or dualview ?

klondike_bar · Post by **klondike_bar** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:23 pm

dualview. then i have ultramon running the details (wallpaper and windows task bar)

unfortunately, i LOVE high resolution, and to downgrade the laptop resolution is something i consider to be high treason.

besides the irritating alignment, my second "issue" is that the dualscreen wallpaper (which kicks but) is also under the impression of the monitor size. so that causes one screen to be stretched image that doesnt line up AND is sized different.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:45 pm

Did you run the display Wizard, and did it recognize the brand/make of the second moniter ?

If so,and it didn't recognize it's name, rotate the second moniter as the primary, and check the box that leaves the auto panning off.
Also , see if there is any options in the device adjustment (right click over the pic of the B monitor) that might be out of whack.

klondike_bar · Post by **klondike_bar** » Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:56 pm

yes, it recognized it as the correct viewsonic model/resolution/refresh rate.

unfortunately, It seems that in most programs, identical monitors are required to dual-desktop ideally.

i need a program that will either:

a) take the physical size of the monitors into effect
or
b) "trick" XP into thinking the monitor is actually a higher resolution.

I assume the second method could be achieved by some form of registry/driver code change. I have no knowledge of such things though...

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:17 pm

Now get a new computer with a video card that will handle the two monitors

Problem solved

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:38 pm

Gee AZ, I am pretty sure the nVidia is exactly that card.....

............Which library do you use to talk to us from ?

klondike_bar · Post by **klondike_bar** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:17 am

sorry if my first post is a bit misleading. I just realised i refer to it as both a monitor for my desktop and the laptop monitor (doh).

the setup is a 1680x1050 laptop and an equal height 1024x768 viewsonic screen

the laptop is running a fairly powerful nvidia QuadroFX 570m that is designed primarily as a 'workstation" card (or similar). (512mb memory)